[The present epidemiologic status and prognosis in measles].

Abstract

During 1990 and partly also 1991, after a practically 10-year zero incidence of measles on the territory of the Czech Republic a measles epidemic broke out. The most severely affected group were adolescents aged 15-19 years who were immunized only by a single dose of vaccine. Conversely the lowest morbidity was recorded in 2-9-year-old children who were immunized already with two doses. The cause of the epidemic was primary failure of the vaccine leading to a low level of collective immunity in some population age brackets. The authors discuss and explain the strategy of immunization against measles involving two doses of vaccine after a 6-10-month interval. In the conclusion possibilities to achieve permanent elimination of measles on our territory are discussed.